Rekindling
by Minion of Set
Summary: That lightning bolt really had killed Aang. The dying spirit of Avatar Roku approaches Zuko with a proposal of redemption. Time Travel.
1. Trial by Fire

Rekindling

Chapter One: Trial by Fire

Burning. Pure flaming _agony_. It felt as though he were being held in the palms of Agni himself. The sensation lasted for what seemed like hours. Maybe even days. Then it passed, and his body cooled immensely.

Still feeling phantom pain of the blistering heat, the young man sat up, blinking as he took in his surroundings. Drapes of rich red silk hung around the bed as sheets of equal quality clung to him, damp from sweat. He threw them off in a hurry and rolled onto is stomach. He rested for a moment, panting, before willing himself the strength to get out of bed.

The dark haired boy stumbled over to a mirror and gave a strangled gasped at the sight. _The scar_. It was still there, angrily stretching across the left side of his face and reaching back to his ear. He reached up to feel the burnt skin, but it wasn't roughened or scaley. It was smooth and unblemished. Just as that of the Fire Prince should be.

"This doesn't make any sense." he mumbled to himself. The boy paused for a moment, realizing how much younger his voice sounded than he was used to. He quickly shook it off in favor of more severe worries. "Just how far back did the Avatar send me? I'm in the palace... but I still have the scar?" He trailed a hand over it once more. "No.. It's more like... my spirit remains scared, despite my choice.. Or because of it." With a frustrated sigh, the boy thought back to that moment..

-Avatar-

"Are you quite proud of yourself?" an aged man's voice asked in a biting tone.

Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, snapped his golden eyes open, shooting up from the bed he had been uncomfortably resting in. The young man dropped into a firebending stance.

"Uncle, is that you?" he asked, peering into the darkness. It was somehow doubtful that Iroh escaped his imprisonment, having allowed himself to be captured after the Waterbender escaped with the Avatar's body. But who else could it be? He lit the palm of one hand with a small fire, allowing him to see the intruder in his living quarters of the former Earth King's palace.

Standing across from him with a scornful gaze was a bearded man bedecked in Fire Nation robes of older times, similar to those the Fire Sages wore. The sleeves were folded across the man's chest. Golden eyes very much like the prince's own pierced through the boy. A topknot of white hair rested on his head, secured by an antique, even regal looking headpiece.

Zuko had seen this man before. Brief flashes of his neglected childhood studies came to mind. But even more recently than that, came the vivid images of an ethereal figure emerging from locked metal doors as the now deceased Zhao and his men unleashed streams of fire from their hands. The flames had been ripped from the multiple benders' control with woeful and frightening ease, then hurled back against them. The incurring blaze had incinerated the chains holding Zuko to a pillar. Tugging free and fleeing from the temple and Zhao's clutches, the Fire Prince had caught a glimpse of the figure willing molten lava into the sky to do his bidding. This man was...

"Avatar Roku." Zuko breathed out, astonished, as the flame in his hand extinguished from shock. He quickly reignited the makeshift candle, backing away a few steps. "But the Avatar is.."

"Dead. I'm aware." the previous bridge between the mortal and spirit realms confirmed darkly. "Not at all thanks to your poor choice in actions." he muttered with burning sarcasm. Roku shook his head with a disappointed glint in his eyes that reminded Zuko painfully of his uncle. "I had thought you would be the one to redeem the Fire Nation after three generations of warring Fire Lords.. Clearly I was mistaken in believing you would not follow Sozin's misguided ambitions."

Anger began to well up inside Zuko, overwhelming the confusion he felt. "You've no right to judge me, Avatar!" he snapped, the fire in his hand erupting further. "I did what I had to!"

Roku's eyes were alight with fire as he stared at the boy in front of him. His glowering expression then softened into a smoldering sorrow. "The saddest part is, I know even you yourself do not believe that."

Zuko scowled miserably, but did not protest the claim. He turned his scarred face away from the Avatar. "Why are you here? What do you want from me?" he asked with quiet sullenness.

"Yes, I suppose it is best to get straight to the point; I've no idea how much time is left for me. The Avatar's existence is coming to a very painful end. When Avatar Aang was killed," Roku paused for a moment, sighing deeply for the boy he had failed so grievously, "the reincarnation cycle was broken. Now the souls of all the verged Avatars will slowly wither into nothingness. I can already feel my spirit begin to erode.."

Something dark and painful twisting in his chest, Zuko ground out, "And why should that matter to me!? I have.. I have everything I've always wanted.." he finished in an almost desperate whisper. His furious gaze set upon the ever composed Roku. "What are you to me!?" he demanded.

The robed man gave him a considering look. "I suppose you can refer to me as the greater source of your inner turmoil. Or at least one of them."

"_What_?" There was that word again. **Turmoil.** Uncle Iroh had said the same thing when he attempted, and subsequently failed, to generate lightning.

"I am the reason you cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of people; even those whom your nation wars against. The blood flowing within your veins is a conflict of wills: Sozin's ambitions and my own desires for balance in the world." Roku explained, watching as the boy's eyes widened. He offered a nod. "Your lineage is directly connected to both myself and Fire Lord Sozin. He was your father's grandfather. I, Avatar Roku, am your mother's grandfather. That, of course, makes you my-"

"Great-grandson." Zuko finished in an stunned voice.

So _that_ was it. After all this time, he finally knew what plagued him. Why he had bothered to stand up for that Earth Kingdom urchin, when he could have just walked away. Why he had felt such shame for his Fire Nation heritage after that ordeal of rescuing and being rescued by the Avatar. Why he _cared_. It was all because Zuko had something that was unheard for the Crown Prince to have. Something his royal ancestry should not allow.

Zuko had a _conscience_. And he hated that.

"Why are you telling me this? What difference could it make now?" Zuko asked. "Have you come here to make me feel even more guilty for what I've done?"

Roku slowly shook his head. "That would be petty for a dying dead man. Now that the Avatar cycle is broken, the Fire Nation has truly won. The balance of the world will forever remain distorted. A drastic measure must be taken in order to change this. Something I would have preferred to avoid."

The Prince held his silence, waiting for his ancestor to just get to the point.

"I have watched you for some time, Prince Zuko." Roku informed. "My hopes were that you would help Aang restore balance to the world. I even requested that Iroh take special care to guide you, when he was in the Spirit World."

"Uncle has been to the Spirit World?" he questioned in surprise.

"Yes. After the death of his son, Lu Ten, I contacted Iroh and informed him of your lineage and the... _intended_ destiny I believed you would choose." The verged Avatar shook his head again. "I can see now that my presumptions were folly."

Tightening his free hand into a fist, Zuko decided to ignore that remark. "Watching me, you say? When was this?"

Roku actually grinned a bit. The type of grin given when one knew something another didn't. "Despite the glowing eyes, one does not become blind when entering the Avatar State. In my temple, I could clearly see that you were Fire Nation, but chose to release you from your bindings as well. Did that not strike you as odd?"

Zuko blinked a few times. That certainly had never occurred to him. He had just assumed he caught a lucky break for once. Of course, being a _master_ firebender, Roku would have been more than capable of freeing _only _the Avatar's allies, and leaving the banished prince detained.

Zuko snorted at himself contemptuously. "I suppose you should get in the long line of people I've disappointed."

"Then you admit this is not your desired outcome?" Roku inquired.

Golden eyes narrowed at the ground. "No, I.. It's not suppose to be this way. This can't be my destiny.."

Roku paused. To even consider such a thing was usually an exceedingly dangerous gamble, but what was left to lose? Quietly and with great purpose, he said, "There is a way, to right the wrongs of the past and cleanse our homeland of its sins, restoring balance to the world and honor to the Fire Nation. Hope is not yet lost."

"But how? What could possibly be done now that the Avatar is dead? What hope remains?"

"To bend the fabric of space and time is an ancient ability of the Avatar, only evoked once every several millennia, in the most dire of situations. Using the bond we share as descendant and ancestor, I can cast you back in time to your childhood." Roku explained calmly.

"Bend... time?" Zuko echoed in amazement. "You can do that..? Wait, if that's possible, then why not go back yourself and prevent the war from happening to begin with?"

Roku shook his head. "The Avatar is forever bond to a single reality, a single time line, and cannot travel outside its boundaries. Only select individuals the Avatar trusts can be sent back through time."

"You can trust me even after all I've done?" Zuko questioned.

"I can feel that you have come to accept the struggle within you for what it is. The person you have become is ready to take destiny into his own hands, and decide his own fate." Roku said. "What is your destiny, Prince Zuko? What is the path that you will choose?"

-Avatar-

He had chosen to help the Avatar restore balance. He had chosen a destiny free from his father's influence. He had chosen the flame.

Zuko continued looking on at his reflection before hurriedly opening every drawer in the room. He shuffled trough the clothes but fund no site of his target. The knife he had gotten from Uncle Iroh was nowhere to be seen. It was then that several things struck Zuko. Not only was his father not the Fire Lord, but his mother would be there in the Fire Nation. He would finally get to see her again..

He shook his head angrily. No, no more being selfish. He'd done enough of that. This wasn't about him and his needs. Restoring honor and balance. Those were his duties now. This was about doing everything in his power to help the Avatar master the four elements and defeat his father.

But wait, would his father even become Fire Lord? Why wouldn't he; wasn't Lu Ten still going to die? Or could Zuko save him? What effect would all of that have?

Zuko sighed tiredly. He needed to focus and organize his thoughts. He needed to plan. But he had to calm down first. The prince stood and placed his hands on his head.

"One hot-squat. Two hot-squats. Three hot-squats..." Getting his blood pumping, Zuko's mind began to race.

The ultimate goal was to help the Avatar restore balance. But how to go about it? Well.. First the Avatar must master all four elements if he is to have any chance of defeating the Fire Lord before the legendary comet arrived. That included Azulon; even ancient, he _was_ a firebending prodigy. Given his behavior, travel pattern, and progressive fighting style, the current Avatar... Aang... had stuck with the traditional cycle. Air, Water, Earth, Fire.

His early travels in search of the Avatar, beginning only days after banishment, started at each of the long forgotten Air Temples. From the various paintings and illustrations of Sky Bison, and the elderly Air Nomad's tattoos that emulated them, Zuko was able to discern that the blue arrows were the mark of a master. Therefore, Aang was already a master airbender. It was a good thing too, because there wouldn't be anyone to learn from. Aang was a master of the first element. And it showed.

Zuko couldn't completely hold a bitter feeling at bay with the thought; both from the idiocy of his royal ancestor, and the fact that the Avatar was so naturally gifted. Aang was like Azula in that regard. Looking back on it now, Aang had never attacked full force with his airbending. It always _happened _to be_ just_ as good as he needed in order to defend himself. He _held back _in every encounter, because Zuko was not foolish enough to believe that he was a master of his own element, fire.

That was something he would have to change; both his lack of mastery in firebending, and Aang's utter lack of self-preservation.

"Twenty hot-squats. Twenty-one hot-squats..."

Attempting to disregard thoughts of being surrounded by prodigies, he turned his focus to the next element.

Water. The Avatar had traveled to the North Pole in order to seek a master to train him. He had been delayed by a number of things, not the least of which was Zuko himself. Evidently one had been found, given the ass kicking he received from the waterbending peasant... Katara. Although, Zuko had noticed very little improvement or increase in application of waterbending into the Avatar's fighting. Curious..

Ideally, Zuko could bring a master waterbender to teach Aang at the South Pole, where he had been... released... or whatever had happened to reveal that bright light. It was isolated and the Fire Nation never bothered with the people after they removed all of the waterbenders. With the obvious exception of Katara. How could they have missed her, he wondered. Zuko would have to look into that...

But where would he find a master waterbender willing to follow _him_, a Prince of the Fire Nation, anywhere? He supposed there would be a few imprisoned, but they were likely rusty from years of lacking practice. Aang needed a teacher who knew what they were doing. Figures water would give him the most trouble. He'd think more on it later.

"Forty-seven hot-squats. Forty-eight hot-squats. Forty-nine hot-squats. Fifty hot-squats..."

Earth, the third element. The Avatar's earthbending teacher did a pretty damn good job, from what Zuko had seen and heard. Despite it being the opposite element to which he was born, Aang had taken to it well enough to out-bend several Dai Li agents, as well as numerous Earth King guards. His progress in that element was excellent enough that Zuko was adamant about not making changes that would affect who taught Aang. It was likely that blind earthbender girl who taught the Avatar, given the time she joined their group and the time Aang began hurling rocks.

Gah, had he ever heard her name..? Wait! Just before that godforsaken trip across the ocean to Ba Sing Se, he heard some other refugees, real ones, complaining about a rich snob with a seeing eye lemur snatching up four tickets with one passport, even though their Avatar disguise didn't cut it (Zuko had cringed upon the sight of the imposters). Someone named Bei Fong and something about a flying boar. Even though it was the right number of passengers for the Avatar's group, it was a long shot, considering they hadn't boarded the ship; Zuko would have seen them. But then again, the Avatar had lost his bison.. It was all he had to go on, and that had always been enough to get _somewhere_.

Besides, how many blind girls with seeing eye lemurs could there be?

"Seventy... hot-squats. Seventy-one... hot-squats..."

Lastly, he considered the final element. Fire. It would take a true master of the bending discipline to teach the Avatar to harness the inner flame. Iroh was a favorable choice, even though Zuko didn't fully appreciate the crucial lessons before. But when it came down to it, Zuko intended to be Aang's firebending master. It was the least he owed him after putting the monk through so much.

And by the way he was out of breath when nearing the hundredth hot-squat, he had a _long_ way to go.

"Ninety-five hot-squats.. Ninety-six... hot-squats.." Zuko gasped for breath as he attempted to go the full distance. "Ninety-seven... hot...squats..."

"What are you doing, Zuzu?" a young voice asked from behind him.

Zuko paused the exercise as a dark scowl planted itself on his face. He turned to face her. Standing in the doorway with her hand resting against the wooden frame was the young girl of nine years who had grown up to conquer Ba Sing Se and slay the Avatar.

"They're called hot-squats. You may not have heard of them since you're so busy shooting fireballs at anything that crawls on all fours." he growled. "Now go away!"

Azula's golden eyes widened, and Zuko could actually see a flash of hurt in them before her expression narrowed. "Dumdum." she spat angrily before turning and storming off.

Zuko stood there, blinking as he felt his chest tighten painfully. Was he actually feeling _guilty_ for what he had said to _Azula_? Why would he? She certainly never felt remorse for a single lie to him. She was the one who... who...

What? What had she done? Watched on with glee as his monster of a father incinerated a good portion of his face? Lied to him about that same father welcoming him home? Shot their uncle in the chest with a bolt of fire, causing a potentially fatal injury? The Azula he encountered after three years of banishment had done those things. But the Azula he had just snapped at had done none of that. This Azula was still a child. An evil little brat who was far too obsessed with burning stuff at every opportunity. But a child none the less.

It was... wrong, to take out his anger on her, he knew that much. This time, he would man up, and be a big brother for once. Maybe all Azula needed was a little positive influence in her life. After all, she had the same blood in her veins as he did, didn't she? The same struggle to do the right thing was beneath the surface of the cruel little girl, waiting like a keg of blasting jelly to be lit by just the right dilemma.

And she was his sister, after all, and despite the evils she committed at one time, he still cared for Azula. Which is what lead him to race down the hall after her.

"Wait!" he called out, latching onto her wrist. She whirled and fixed him with an angry look.

"Let go of me, Zuko!" she ordered, trying to wrangle out of his grasp. It seemed unusually strong, or was that just her?

"I.." He swallowed his pride, finding the taste not as bitter as it had been when begging in the Earth Kingdom streets. "I'm.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." He released her wrist and ducked his head a bit.

Azula stared at him quizzically for a moment before huffing. "I wasn't going to tell _Mom_." That was the only time Zuko apologized for anything to her.

"I know. Well I didn't know for sure but... that's beside the point. Look, I'm sorry, it's just... I'm jealous." Zuko admitted. "You're a firebending _prodigy_. It all comes so easily to you.. You'll be a master in just a few years."

Azula was visibly stricken by the confession. She could always tell that her older brother resented her natural talent, but it was satisfying to hear. The young girl quickly schooled her features and crossed her arms, idly drumming her fingers. "Yes, well, I suppose that's all true." she said in a lofty tone.

Zuko snorted, somehow finding her impertinence more amusing than infuriating. Perhaps it was because he had grown more patient in his travels. He shook his head. "It is. I didn't want to admit it because I felt... inferior." Zuko breathed deeply, happy to finally be strong enough to admit this. "But no matter how much of a brat I am about it, and no matter what I say, I want you to know that I'm proud you're my little sister."

When her brother reached forward, Azula tensed out of reflex. Her first instinct was to drop into an attacking stance of the more advanced forms her father had been drilling her on. Before she could do anything, Zuko's arms wrapped around her gently. It was too soft to be a submission hold...

The raven haired girl blinked as she realized what he was doing. "Um, Zuko, you're hugging me." she said candidly over his shoulder, as if he was clearly unaware of the absurdity his action held. He was sweaty, Azula realized. "Eww!" she exclaimed, pushing away from him.

"Ah, sorry." he apologized. "You're a little more formal than that." He offered his hand. "So, what do you say we try to get along? No more fighting?"

Azula considered his hand, raising a dark brow. "A truce, Zuzu? Well I was rather enjoying our sectarian conflict, but if you insist." She grasped his hand and shook it, smirking a little. "I suppose you must have finally realized the advantages to having me as an ally. Perhaps you do pay attention to your lessons after all."

"Gee, thanks. I try." he muttered. "You can uncross your fingers, by the way." His eyes were narrowed but he was smiling just a bit triumphantly.

Azula giggled mischievously, revealing that she did indeed have her free hand's fingers crossed. "Huh, you really are learning." she commended. "Anyway, mom sent me to get you for breakfast, lazybones."

"I wasn't being lazy! You saw me exercising!"

"_Saw_ it? I can still smell it." She upturned her delicate little nose for emphasis.

Zuko gave a mock growl. "Whatever." He turned and began walking back to his room, effectively ending the game in her favor. He paused before reaching his chambers and quietly said, "I meant it though, Azula. I don't want to fight with you anymore. You're my little sister, so I'll look after you even if you don't need me to."

"Well I don't." she responded shortly. She, too, paused before exiting the hallway. "But.. I suppose it is kind of nice of you to say." Azula said in an equally hushed tone to her brother. She then left.

Zuko closed the door and dressed into his royal leisure clothes of a red tunic with gray sleeves and pants, complete with boots. He did his dark hair up into a topknot. It took a few tries, as he wasn't used to it all that much anymore, but he got it. He looked at himself in the mirror and figured there was nothing out of place. Except the spirit scar, but Azula hadn't seen it, so who would?

He soon found himself treading the palace grounds a bit. Zuko looked left and right, here and there. It seemed foreign, despite the fact that he spent most of his life there. But he was careful not to waist too much time dawdling, and quickly made his way over to his family's private dining room. Just around the corner, a soft humming filtered the air and lightened his spirit. Zuko angrily wiped away the prickling moisture gathering in his eyes. Tears, even of joy, would be a weakness he could not afford.

With a steadying breath, Zuko entered the well furnished room. Azula was at the table, stabbing her food tiresomely with chopsticks. Sitting just to his sister's left was the woman who had birthed the two of them. His mother. Ursa was humming a soft tune as she read a scroll of some kind. She then paused and looked over at her daughter.

"You know, dear, I don't think that ostrich-horse egg ever did anything to you." the raven haired woman noted with a soft laugh.

Azula stared at her mother for a moment before going back to her rhythmic stabbing. This elicited a sigh from the woman. Ursa looked over to her son, noticing his arrival, and smiled brightly. "Good morning, sleepyhead." she greeted warmly, standing and opening her arms. "Come give your mother a hug." The young boy happily agreed, burying his head into her stomach as she crouched down to wrap her arms around him. From his position, Zuko could see a faint tremor course through Azula's eyebrows, but she didn't look up from her plate. "Mama's boy" she mouthed with a frown.

That struck Zuko. She was clearly resentful of the close relationship he and his mother had. But that didn't make sense. All Azula ever wanted was her father's favor, and even now she already had it in spades. He had not forgotten how completely callous Azula had been at their mother's disappearance, just months from now.

Zuko's eyes narrowed slightly as he was released from Ursa's embrace, taking a seat at the table where his plate was already set. He wasn't sure what had caused it all, but he was certain it had something to Azulon's order to have him slain for some ridiculous reason. His mother must have intervened somehow and saved his life at the cost of her own.

He had a lot of things to change while he waited for the Avatar to awaken. Azula's attitude toward her family and life in general. Keeping his mother safe. And, of course, _not_ dying was a priority.

And just at that moment, the largest obstacle in his path walked into the room with a pompous stride and flourish, golden eyes scanning over everything in room with exact possessiveness. In walked Prince Ozai of the Fire Nation, the husband of Princess Ursa and father of Zuko and Azula. The man who had burned and banished his only son for talking out of turn.

"Good morning, family."


	2. Sister

Rekindling

Chapter Two: Sister

Azula smiled almost eagerly. "Good morning, Daddy."

"Good morning, Ozai." Ursa greeted warmly.

He nodded to them each. Ozai turned to his only son, frowning at the lack of response. "Do you not have a greeting for your own father, Prince Zuko?" he asked in a deceptively placid tone.

Zuko blinked several times, clearing himself of the wide-eyed stare. He stood and gave a formal Fire Nation bow. "Good morning, Father." he said, miraculously keeping any quiver out of his voice.

Azulon's second son gazed down at him for a moment before offering the barest of nods in forgiveness. The prince seated himself at the table and began eating his own breakfast. The family ate in silence, giving Zuko the time to collect himself.

He was disgusted to find his hand trembling ever so slightly. In that moment he had been admonished by Ozai, pure terror coursed through him. Zuko was honestly surprised that he had not been burned outright, and that reality only drove home what a horrible father Ozai had become.

Zuko calmed himself. It wouldn't do to get on his father's bad side... not that there was much else to him. Despite the intense hatred he felt or the man, Ozai was a brilliant and powerful firebender. With his uncle out on the war front, there was no better teacher to train him in their people's art of combat. It had been several years since Ozai had cast him aside in favor of his sister, pawning him off onto several other instructors that never lasted.

Fortunately he was no longer too meek to interject his own thoughts on the matter. It was a bitter irony that Ozai was going to shape one of the tools of his destruction.

"Father, are you going to train with Azula today?" he asked.

Ozai paused in his ingestion. He gave Zuko a look, and spoke deliberately. "Yes."

He glanced at his mother and sister; Ursa looked slightly distressed, but Azula was already glowering at him with a frighteningly intense expression of loathing, eyes simultaneously commanding and begging. It was just like the look she had given him in the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se when she was as uncertain of his loyalties as he was.

Looking back to his father, Zuko said, "I would like to join you."

Ozai gazed down at his son again, a speculative gleam filtering into the usually dismissive eyes he addressed Zuko with. "I've no time for games, boy." he said.

"That's good. Because I'm not playing any." Zuko responded in an equally weighted voice. "Firebending is my heritage. I don't have Azula's natural talent," he said, sparing his sister another glance, "but I am willing to work hard in order to advance further in my training. I'm ready for more. Not to mention that Azula could benefit from having a sparring partner."

"More like a punching bag." the girl muttered, rolling her eyes as Ursa shushed her.

After several moments of consideration, Ozai nodded his consent. "Very well. We shall see what progress, if any at all, you have made in your firebending. Be prepared in four hours. I won't allow you to slow Azula's training." he said cooly.

"I'll keep up." he said, standing. "Excuse me." He left the dinning room, feeling the gaze of three very different sets of golden eyes on his back.

Zuko was soon back in his room, sitting in front of the private meditation bench he had never used before. He extended the index and middle fingers of his right hand, breathing deeply. A small jet of red and orange flame held steadily at his fingertips as he released his breath. He swept the flame over the wicks of the four candles in front of him. Sitting himself down, Zuko began his meditative breathing. With every inhale of breath, the flames of the candles leapt to his will. With every exhale, they withered.

He had no intention of embarrassing himself in front of Ozai any further. This training session would serve the purpose of testing his limits. But more importantly, he could possibly catch his father's attention as the preferred heir. This would allow Zuko to hone his skills fully in the years to come, as Ozai was a harsh taskmaster that would push him to the limit.

Not only that, it would finally relieve the stress off of Azula, and alleviate her of Ozai's influence, hopefully. Zuko realized now that his sister had become an unhealthily obsessed perfectionist not only because of Ozai's high and demanding expectations, but because of the man's complete inability to value anything that did not contribute to his power. She may have been altogether cold blooded, but that was mostly due to Ozai conditioning her into his perfect, heartless little weapon. Azula was human... and the closest thing to love she had received after Ursa disappeared was her father's praise.

As the first born Zuko was, or rather should be, responsible for such things. Though it pained him to admit, his weakness had caused the brunt of such burdens to be lain across Azula's shoulders. If he had been stronger or tried harder, his baby sister would have actually had a childhood. No wonder she despised him. Zuko had completely failed her as an older brother.

It was strange, though, that Ozai would place so much pressure on his children to become suitable heirs, when he himself was not in line to become the next Fire Lord. Even years before... Lu Ten..

Zuko faintly sensed the flames in front of him shoot upward. No, it couldn't be.. His father was ambitious but.. It was starting to make sense. Ozai had always been resentful for being the second born, and felt no value for the traditional order of succession that the Fire Nation adhered to. He proved it with his insolent request that Iroh be denied his birthright, and doing the same to Zuko.

Ozai was vicious, cruel, cunning and savage. He would destroy anything anywhere to achieve his objectives, and that included the brother whose shadow he had been living under all his life. But to challenge Iroh directly was partial suicide for any warrior, as they were unlikely to emerge without grievous injuries. But Ozai was smarter than that, and knew Iroh's one weakness was his greatest joy in life: his beloved son Lu Ten.

It hadn't struck Zuko before, but his older cousin had been the _first_ and _only_ of the royal family to die in the battlefield since the war began. The timing... was no coincidence. He had no proof. None whatsoever. But the more he thought about it, the more certain Zuko became.

Ozai had orchestrated the death of his own nephew in order to promote himself to Fire Lord Azulon and break his brother Iroh's spirit, ultimately claiming the throne without protest.

Perhaps, Zuko admitted to himself, he was looking too far into things.

But it made perfect sense. And it couldn't hurt to be too careful. Lu Ten's death had been the first link in a chain of events that lead to Ozai's brutal reign as Fire Lord. If Zuko could somehow ensure that Lu Ten lived, Ozai might not make the proposal of replacing Iroh as the rightful heir to the throne. Therefore, Ursa wouldn't need to do whatever it was that she had done to save Zuko.

He clenched his jaw and focused on his meditation. Now that he suspected such treachery of his father, he needed to be certain. If he could somehow find evidence of this, Ozai would be completely vulnerable to him.

But what would he do with such evidence? Present it to Azulon? How could he even save his cousin when he was in Ba Sing Se? If Ozai never became Fire Lord, what affect would that have on the world.. What affect would it have on Iroh's decision? Would he still end the siege of Ba Sing Se?

Zuko inwardly shook his head. First he would have to confirm this before he made any plans. He would have to follow his father's actions very carefully. Shouldn't be too difficult considering he was, or had been, the Blue Spirit.

For now he would focus on strengthening his firebending. Zuko could feel that he had much more chi than he originally had at ths point. He wasn't born with large amounts of the internal energy, like Azula. Zuko had built up the rather pitiful amount of chi he had been born with into something respectable.

Now, in his eleven year old body, he could feel that there was less than he had in Ba Sing Se, but definitely more than he originally had at his point. If he had to guess, it was roughly equal to what he had when he first located the Avatar. Sadly enough, that was probably the equivalent to what Azula had now. She really was gifted... lucky. But Zuko didn't need luck. And he didn't want it. His struggles and willpower had brought him to this point, not fortune.

Zuko opened his eyes and the flames extinguished completely. The wax candles were melted down symmetrically. It seemed he had control enough over his increased chi. Perhaps he could impress Ozai with some of the techniques he retained. But nothing too advanced, lest Ozai become suspicious of his sudden growth. Then again, when was the last time he had even considered Zuko's progress?

He decided to perform a little less outstandingly than Azula, and gradually 'improve' and 'surpass' her. He supposed he should feel guilty for showing his sister up with his foreknowledge, but experience was the only advantage he had on her, as an older brother and everything.

Zuko rose from his seated position and left his room. He had focused, and now he would like to relax. Brooding took more energy than one could imagine.

The boy seated himself at the turtle-duck pond, gazing at the swirling water and it's inhabitants. What had possessed him to chuck a rock at these peaceful creatures before? He attributed it to the testosterone rather than any inherited impulse to destroy.

Soft and poised footsteps approached. Zuko looked to see who it was. He had somewhat been hoping that his mother would join him, just like the good old days. Instead he saw his sister Azula standing over him with a somewhat calculated look.

His expression must have betrayed his disappointment, because Azula's brow furrowed. "Expecting someone else? Your mother, maybe?" she asked in that aloof and detached tone. It told him that she was plotting something.

He turned back to the pond. "Sort of. Where's your little horror posse?"

"Not here today. And don't let them hear you say that. You'll hurt their feelings."

Zuko inwardly snorted at that. As if she cared. Or maybe she did. Azula was hard to figure out. Much more complicated than any nine year old girl had a right to be. "I'll keep that in mind."

She paused for a moment. But not in hesitation. Azula never hesitated. "It isn't going to work, you know."

"What isn't?"

"You, trying to impress father. You'll only end up embarrassing yourself. Again." she assured snidely.

Zuko tilted his head slightly, frowning. "Why do you care? Wouldn't you like to see that?" he asked in a clipped tone.

She donned a slightly insulted look. "Now why would I relish in your failure, dear brother? I'm only trying to help you save face in front of Father. Shaming him with a pathetic display is worse than quietly accepting your fate as a disappointment. At least then you have dignity."

Something about Azula's words angered Zuko greatly, which he was certain she intended. Perhaps there was a part of him that longed for his father's approval; he had sought it for the majority of his life. He was only human, after all.

But he was not the Zuko she thought he was. The Zuko she was speaking to was wiser, stronger and better. He saw through the smokescreen of caring words for what they were.

Azula always lies.

She saw him as a threat, he realized. Azula was worried that perhaps he _would _impress Ozai.

He calmly shook his head. "It would be disgraceful to break off a previous engagement because of fear. Not that I'm afraid. I'm actually looking forward to it."

Azula stiffened before relaxing herself. That wasn't the respond she had expected or desired. She decided to take a different route. She shrugged. "It isn't too late to back out. Simply tell Father you overestimated yourself. I'm certain he'll understand."

Zuko tossed some more bread into the water, watching as the turtle-ducks swarmed onto it. "Father isn't the understanding type. I am bound now by my word."

Eyes narrowing at her brother, Azula clenched her fist steadily. It was so unlike Zuko to remain calm when she goaded him, especially concerning Ozai's blatant favoritism. "What exactly are you planning to accomplish by this? Do you want to be so pathetic that Father will pity you instead of detesting you?" she questioned tersely.

Dusting his hands off, Zuko stood and looked down at his sister. He calmly asked, "Do you not want me there, Azula?"

He could see her face trembling with some barely suppressed rage. She breathed in deeply, as if preparing some extreme assault. "No! No I don't! Firebending is _my_ time with Father! _Not_ yours! You're just trying to steal all of Father's love away from me!" she hissed out accusingly. "Just like you did with _Mother_."

Zuko blinked at her furious expression and words before shaking his head. He looked away from her for a moment. "You can't steal something that doesn't exist." Zuko said quietly. Spirits, he sounded like Uncle..

If anything his words infuriated her more. "What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded, not liking the insinuation.

Zuko sighed sadly. "Father feels no love for anyone or anything but power. Not people who possess it, but the power itself. We're just... tools to him, Azula. If we hadn't been born firebenders.."

"Agni forbid!"

"..he would want nothing to do with us. I'm sorry, but that's the truth."

Azula stared at him resentfully. "You're... _lying_." she hissed in frustrated denial. Zuko would have rolled his eyes at the irony if the topic weren't so serious. "Father loves me for all the reasons Mother doesn't."

The boy couldn't help but find his mouth slightly agape. "What do you mean mother doesn't love you? Of course she does!"

Azula scoffed, the angry look in her eyes dulling. She spoke in a sullen and bitter tone. "Mother doesn't love me. She fears me. She thinks I'm a _monster_."

Zuko stared at Azula in stunned silence for a moment. Then he placed both his hands on her shoulders, golden eyes staring into her own searchingly. "Do you really believe that?" he asked in a low voice.

She looked doubtful, for just a moment, as she glanced at her reflection in the pond. But it passed, and only bitterness remained. "I _know_ it." she spat out. Azula shrugged off his hands. "And you, Zuko? You don't care about me. You just want me out of the way of your perfect little life. Just like always. Even if you claim that you don't.." she cut herself short, biting her lip. Azula turned away from him, and whispered harshly, "I _knew_ I couldn't trust you."

She glanced back at Zuko to see that he was wearing that dopey dumbfounded look as if he didn't know what she was talking about. She walked away. It didn't matter. _He_ didn't matter. Only her father's love and praise mattered. And he did love her, Azula told herself. Of course he did. She was strong. She was intelligent. She was cunning. Azula was the perfect Princess.

Rapid footsteps approached from behind. She turned just in time to see Zuko lunge and tackle her. They tussled on the ground, not as trained warriors, but like schoolyard children. Her brother won out with his superior physical strength, crossing his legs over her own, and pinning her wrists to the ground at her sides. Azula was completely helpless, unable to firebend.

As she struggled futilely, the sound of Zuko hawking a loogie froze her in place. Her eyes widened as he leaned over her, the spit and mucus dangling over her face. She shrieked. "Ew! Ew, ew, ew ew, ew! Stop it, stop it, _stop it_!" Azula shouted, thrashing her head back and forth.

"Sway you're swowy." Zuko slurred.

Azula stared into his eyes, doing her absolute best to ignore the slobber. "Never!" she hissed defiantly. "I spoke the truth!"

Zuko dangled the spit closer to her. "Sway it." he persisted, eyes commanding.

Biting her lip again, Azula wrenched her eyes shut. "Sorry for what!?" she asked hatefully through ground teeth. She opened her eyes again at th sound of a disgusting slurp.

"For calling me a liar." Zuko said sternly. On the inside, he wasn't angry, just confused. He had no idea what possessed him to do such a thing. It had just seemed like the... brotherly thing to do. "I already told you I have no intentions of competing with you. Especially not for Ozai's 'affections'."

Azula's eyes widened at the disrespectful reference to their father. "Then why do you want to take away my training time!?"

Zuko paused for a moment. Even with all her intelligence and ingenuity, Azula was still a child. It was... alleviating to realize. "He may not know love, but he does know firebending. Father can help me become stronger. That's all I want, or need, from him.. That's all either of us could ever get from him. He has nothing else to offer." Zuko said angrily.

He could see anger, shame, and desperation written all over her face. She truly revered Ozai as the only person to love her. He would change that if it were the last thing he ever did.

Zuko released her and stood, fully expecting Azula to leap up and attack for the humiliation. Instead she just lie there like a rag-doll, blankly staring up at the sky. With a sigh, Zuko lifted her up by the armpits. She stood there with her head slumped, defeated in a way.

"Come on, Azula. I really _don't_ want to fight with you. For one thing, you'd kick my ass." She smiled fleetingly. "For another.. I don't want us to be like Father and Uncle are. We can both learn firebending from Father. And I promise I won't get in your way, alright?"

She looked at him for a moment, scanning for a lie she could exploit and use against him. There was none. He was being sincere. After a moment, she nodded weakly.

"Good. Now give me a hug." he told her, opening his arms. Zuko knew what was coming. Any second now she would kick him in the crotch and laugh while he was open and defenseless. But that was okay. This was to show her that she had his trust, even if she didn't trust him. It would take time to reverse Ozai's influence, and this was an early step.

Imagine his surprise when he felt two arms wrap around him cautiously, as if he were a viper-mantis. The hold became more firm when he returned the hug. For a few moments, they were just brother and sister. Zuko had forgotten what it felt like, from before Ozai's tyrannical obsession with becoming Fire Lord had surfaced. They pulled away from each other, both of them smiling in their own way.

_Then_ she kicked him in the crotch.

"Gah! My royal parts!" Zuko groaned, falling to the ground and clutching himself.

Azula's smile widened joyously. "Just... to remind you who's boss." she said simply before walking away, feeling much better than when she had arrived.

"Yeah. Love you too." he tried to mumble. It came out as more of a whimper. She didn't hear him anyway. Zuko righted himself into a somewhat comfortable position that seemed innocuous. Thankfully no one had seen that.

"Are you and your sister having difficulties again?" an amused feminine voice asked.

Zuko only groaned further. Typical. "What else is new? We're working things out."

Ursa laughed lightly. "I suppose that's Azula for you. I'm interested to see how a boy would dare court her."

Zuko snorted. "Yeah right. Like any guy in their right mind would try to court Azula. They would say something stupid and she'd do something unspeakably evil to them."

"Oh, I'm sure there would at least be an outline left of them. Would you mind if I joined you?" she asked kindly, just as she always did. Zuko smiled for a moment, delighted. Then he thought back to what Azula had said about their mother, and his smile faltered.

He looked out at the pond. One of the turtle-ducklings had their legs caught on some of the seaweed. The mother immediately was by their side, nipping at the plant life and freeing her offspring so they could swim again. It was like a sign from the spirits.

"Mom... I think you should spend more time with Azula." he finally said.

Ursa tilted her head slightly in confusion before smiling. "What's wrong? Too old to be coddled by your mother now, are we?"

"Never." Zuko answered with a wry smile that soon faded. "It's just.. She's kind of.. I don't think she knows that you love her." he confessed.

Again, his mother looked confused. Ursa then shook her head in bemusement, smiling dismissively. "Don't be ridiculous, Zuko. Of course she knows that I-"

"No Mom." Zuko interrupted. "I really don't think that she does. I was just talking to her and.. She really needs you. A lot more than I do."

Ursa blinked down at her son for moment, then looked in the direction her daughter had departed. She turned back to Zuko, and he only nodded to her. Taking her son's advice, Ursa folded her arms in a way that reminded Zuko distinctly of Avatar Roku, and stalked after her daughter with a purpose.

Zuko sighed as he watched her go. Perhaps his mother's influence was what stirred the struggle that plagued him. Hopefully it could do the same for Azula. He refused to abandon hope that there was a chance his sister could be saved. Perhaps Ozai would shape two tools of his own destruction.

Standing up, Zuko began doing some basic warmups in preparation for the training session. He ignored the slight ache in his lower region.

* * *

Pretty good reception. I will continue. Thank you all for reviewing and giving me input. Much appreciated.

**Quathis**: Iroh and other spiritually sensitive people (perhaps Jeong Jeong, Fire Sages, etc) would be able to see the scar. Iroh was able to see (and possibly recognize) Roku's dragon, Fang, while he was in the physical realm. Might be a nasty surprise for Zuko... if he can't get rid of it, that is. (good to read your review, by the way)

**DominuPisces**: Actually, being killed in the Avatar State (as stated by Roku in the episode of the same name) ends the cycle of reincarnation. And Aang was killed in this story. While in the Avatar State.

**Luciun Weasel-Ogg**: I know what you mean. Aside from Avatar State endowed characters, Azula is the only character whose _glances_ have their own sound effect. Scary. But cool.

Concerning pairings, there really are only two that I feel strongly for. The first is Kataang. I hate it for reasons I don't want to talk about. The second.. I wont tell just yet. I want it to be a surprise.

I'm impartial to Zutara, though I do recognize that they look good together. I have... plans... for Katara. And so will Zuko (spoiler: it involves their talk in Ba Sing Se). Hopefully that appeases you rabid Zutarians for the moment.

Later.


	3. Mother

Rekindling

Chapter Three: Mother

Confusion... did not become her.

It was a foreign and unwelcome emotion for the young girl to have. She had seen it in others from time to time, of course, whenever it was worth her examining. But she never experienced it herself. Until now.

Everything perfectly fit into place for her up until this morning. She was Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation, blessed by Agni himself with talent seen only once every few generations among the royal bloodline. She was among those chosen to witness the return of Sozin's Comet and harness its legendary power, ending the hundred year struggle once and for all as the dominating element of fire ruled as it should.

Family dynamics had been pathetically easy to decipher as well. Her father adored her for having the prodigious talent he anticipated from his first born son. Azula's mother, Ursa, feared her own daughter and the power she wielded. Of course, not being a firebender, she could never understand. Not that she cared what Ursa thought, Azula told herself. And as for her brother..

Zuko detested her for being so much better at everything. He did his best to make her feel unwelcome in his life. For that, she tormented him. And enjoyed it. She made certain that Zuko would pay attention to her, at the very least. There was a time when Azula adored her older brother... perhaps she still did in her own admittedly twisted way. They had once been rather close when they were younger. But as their father began to tirelessly drill the siblings on firebending, a clear line had divided them.

But just this morning, it seemed that Zuko had overcome his feelings of inadequacy, to a certain point. He had never before openly _acknowledged_ that she was indeed superior in the bending discipline of their people. The resentful glances of jealousy he occasionally sent over his shoulder told her as much. And even though she returned them with smug smiles, on the inside she felt almost ashamed of her firebending prowess, if it made Zuko, her _brother_, hate her for it. Naturally, that shame soon became anger at the prince for making her feel such a way, when he _should _be happy for her.

And now... it seemed that he finally was.

She wouldn't call it an apology, exactly. Not for past transgressions. But he had admitted that he was jealous. And more importantly, he had said that he was proud of her. _Proud_ of her! Azula considered that he wasn't speaking the truth, but Zuko was a terrible liar, she knew. It was embarrassing to admit to herself, but Azula found that it elated her to finally have her brother's praise, that she had sought from the beginning of her training, only to be received distastefully.

Oddly enough, she was happier to hear it from Zuko than she had ever felt from her father.

Concerning their mutual father figure, Zuko's words had stunned her. The way he had said their father's name, with such disrespect and loathing that was once directed at her, would be reciprocated by a very harsh scolding at the least, had it been overheard. But he had done so without fear, just as he had spoken at breakfast. When, she wondered, did Zuko cast aside the unspoken competition between them for Ozai's attention? When had Zuko started to see their father as a tool to strengthen himself?

And what he had said about their father's inability to love.. It hurt... to hear those things. Not only because it meant that the one person who could possibly care for her, as she had been raised, actually did not. But also because... deep down... she had always known. Azula just didn't want to admit it to herself. Could not afford to admit it to herself.

She could see the gleam of ambition and pride in Ozai's sharp eyes, whenever she performed flawlessly (which was always). But it was not directed at her. He always looked past and _through_ her, onto bigger things that she could help him attain, someday. Zuko was right. She was just a tool for her father.

But what else could there be for her in life? Nothing, that's what. Ozai did not love her, but praise, no matter how empty, was as close as she would come to receiving such an emotion. Or so she had believed. If her brother.. If Zuko truly cared for her as he said... as he seemed to believe that he did...

What _did _she need Ozai for?

Azula's very unwelcome confusion only escalated when her mother made an appearance in her room. She successfully fought off an unhappy frown at the woman's presence, and faced her with a neutral expression.

"Yes, Mother? Was there something you needed?" she asked lightly and respectfully. The woman still had a position of authority over her, after all.

Ursa smiled gently. "Must I want something from my daughter? I only wish to spend time you."

Azula blinked apathetically. "While Zuko is at the turtle-duck pond you both fancy, you instead sought out my company? Interesting."

"You and Zuko are both my children. I care for each of you."

"Could have fooled me," the girl muttered. But Ursa had sharp ears. She frowned lightly, choosing her next words carefully.

"I confess, my intention was to join your brother when I saw him at the pond. But he said some things that were... _troubling_." Ursa said, peering at her daughter. "Things about you."

Azula rolled her eyes. "I should have known. Zuzu is_ such_ a tattletale."

"Your brother is only concerned for you, Azula. As am I, for that matter."

"Concerned?" she asked with a raised brow. "Is that what you call it?"

"Of course," Ursa answered. "What else would it be?" she asked in a sincere tone.

Eyes narrowing slightly, Azula could no longer resist the urge to cross her arms defiantly. "I've seen the look in your eyes, Mother, and it certainly is not something I would label as concern."

Ursa titled her head thoughtfully, gazing down at her rather irate looking daughter. "Oh? Then what would you call it?"

"Fear."

The word hung throughout the air, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. The elder of the two showed no other sign of having heard her daughter than a slight narrowing of her eyes. Azula waited impatiently for her mother to string together a web of lies about how that wasn't true. It wasn't until several more moments of tense silence passed that Ursa reacted.

She _laughed_, loudly yet with refined elegance. Ursa tilted her head back, covering her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand. It was not an unkind laugh, yet for some reason Azula felt vulnerable, ashamed, offended and even humiliated. She felt like such a _child_ with her mother standing over her and laughing at something she had said so very seriously.

Ursa calmed herself, eyes gazing down at her daughter with faint amusement. "I am sorry, my daughter. I am sorry for laughing at your grave claim," she apologized, stroking Azula's hair. "But I have bedded one of the most powerful and ambitious men in all the Fire Nation, in the world for that matter. I fear _no one_."

Azula blinked again, this time in _profound_ confusion. However she had expected her mother to respond, that was certainly not it. Damn it all, this would require even further reevaluation of her life components.

Ursa placed her hands on Azula's back and guided her to the large mirror without protest. She towered over her daughter, draping her hands over Azula's shoulders from behind. "Do you know what I see here?" she asked gently.

"...No," Azula said in a small voice.

"I see a beautiful, talented young girl who might be confused about some things. I see a proud and dignified princess of the Fire Nation." Ursa bent down and hugged her from behind. "I see my daughter, whom I love very much."

The girl's amber eyes were downcast as she stared at their forms in the large mirror. "...Yes, I'm sure. Hugs, kisses and all of that," she said doubtfully.

"Oh, but I do love you, Azula," Ursa assured in a tone that truly indicated as such. "The bond between a mother and a daughter is an unbreakable one."

"You make it sound like such a burden."

"It is no burden, Daughter. It is a special gift."

Azula's jaw trembled as she roughly pulled away from her mother's embrace and lies. She fixed an angry stare at the woman. "Well you certainly never treated it like something special," Azula said snippily. "In fact, there _is_ no bond between us other than one of blood and mistrust." She turned away, crossing her arms again.

Ursa frowned, but there was no one to blame for her daughter's suspicion other than herself. She always believed that Azula was simply happier and more fulfilled in Ozai's company. She sighed. "Azula... I apologize if I have given the impression that you are somehow unwanted."

Azula did not face her mother, but reluctantly turned her head ever so slightly to look at her.

"Now, at this point," Ursa said, draping her hands over her daughter's shoulders again, "I would expect any other child to pout or sulk. But I know my little girl is an opportunist."

Said girl could not successfully fight off a slight smile. How very underhanded and effective it was of her mother to appeal to her ego; it was a tactic Azula admired. It also made her feel a little warm that Ursa laid claim to her.

"Oh, very well, Mother," Azula allowed as she turned to face Ursa, her smile replaced by an expression every bit as nonchalant as her tone. "If you insist, I shall give this 'bonding' a try." Azula looked thoughtful. "But only if we do something more interesting than feeding animals," she specified.

"More interesting?" Ursa echoed. She then smiled something devious that Azula was familiar with herself. "I believe I have just the thing in mind. But we'll still need to go to the pond..."

Azula quirked an eyebrow, intrigued.

-Avatar-

Zuko was working on the basics. He was determined to build himself from the ground up and as new person. So he started properly from the beginning, mastering the basics as Uncle had told him to before.

Back then, he had been too stubborn to listen, too caught up with fighting and capturing the Avatar. But now he was stronger and wiser and freer then ever. He had come to realize that his focus of rushing through the basics had weakened him in the long run, hindering his progress as a firebender. Now he had the time, patience, and experience to know better.

Once he was able to move again without pain jolting through his legs, Zuko started drilling the most basic sequences of firebending and worked his way from there. He repeated them until he had gotten them completely perfect, and if he made a mistake, he would start from the first sequence all over again. And he did so without using flames, so as not to tire himself before the training session. He focused on his breathing, muscle control, and form.

He had finally made it to the end of the last sequence of the basic kata, about to start over, when his mother and sister arrived. He stopped to catch his breath and see what they were up to. Ursa smiled knowingly at him. Azula only glanced at him in a way that said she was reserving judgement. Clearly she knew that he had told their mother... He hoped that didn't come back to bite him.

Ursa approached the tree near the pond, reached up and plucked an apple from it. Seeing her mother do this, the young girl frowned.

"A healthy snack, Mother? This is hardly what I had in mind," Azula complained.

"Oh, I don't intend for you to eat the apple," Ursa said calmly. She placed the fruit on her head, keeping it in place with perfect posture. "I want you to knock it off my head."

Zuko's eyes widened with a stupid expression on his face. How exactly did this come to pass as a result of what he had said?

Azula was also briefly overcome with shock before she schooled her expression into indifference. Truly her mother had caught her off guard with this stunt, but the younger princess was not to be fooled. This was probably some test to see if she would fire, just so that she could be punished for it later. She would call Ursa's buff.

"That certainly does sound more exciting than feeding turtle-ducks," she said with a disparaging glance at her brother. "Of course, you have no way of knowing I won't miss, do you?" she asked disinterestedly, drumming her fingers against her crossed arms.

"I trust you, Azula."

_Trust... is for fools_, she thought. Swallowing heavily, the young girl, determined to get her mother to back down, said, "Are you sure you want to risk your fabulous good looks on trust? Wouldn't you hate looking in a mirror everyday for the rest of your life to see a burn, because you relied on something so _fickle_?"

Ursa smiled, unmoving. "True trust is no fickle thing, my dear. It's stronger than any dragon. Go ahead and fire whenever you're ready."

Azula looked into her mother's golden eyes and saw that she was completely serious. She extended her index and middle fingers as she took a stance. Heat began to curl around her hand.

Fine, the girl decided. She would fire. And she aim solely for the apple. But her mother would cower away as soon as she did, showing her true colors, that she truly did fear her daughter.

Zuko flickered his eyes back and forth, wondering if he should intervene. However, given that the current situation arose because of him, maybe it was best he did not.

With the snapping motion of her arm, Azula sent a precise bolt of fire straight through the core of the apple resting on Ursa's skull. The woman did not even flinch as the apple was shot to the ground, her eyes never wavering from the form of her daughter.

Zuko sighed in relief.

Azula straitened, speechless that her mother had not budged. She stared wide-eyed.

Ursa clapped her hands together, smiling pleasantly. "Well now, that was fun."

* * *

Short chapter. I really didn't have anything else to add.

The fact that I was inspired around the anniversary of my last update is merely a coincidence, I assure you.

soupcan: I considered that he was being too understanding. But look at how he tried to save Zhao from the ocean spirit, someone who tried to have him killed, and whom he was currently dueling in a fight to the death (possibly). So I think Zuko's compassion is astounding for that feat alone.

Eduard Kassel: I know what you mean about the beginning. To be honest, I didn't want to write this story, because I already had another time travel story in the works, and I guess that shows.

Oh, and the correct pairing that I have planned was guessed. But that's all I'm saying. :)

Expect the next update sooner than a year from now.


End file.
